Ww1 Propaganda

Dead bodies left and right, living underground in muddy, dirty narrow tunnels, dealing with the pest infestation and the widespread of lice. This “duty” was far from the one shown in the posters. The romantic idea of World War 1 was a fabricated reality of the life of soldiers in war. Through propaganda posters and article, many countries during the war were collectively a part of deceiving their citizens. Romantic ideals of the war, introduced by propaganda posters and articles appealed primarily to the male population. They were targeted by cleverly undermining their masculinity. Inducing patriotism and fueling their ardency for glory, bravery, and adventure, increased enlistment. Some propaganda even painted a false opportunity of proving themselves as men (like a right of passage) or …show more content…
Soldiers’ psychological state was always something that needed to be watched. “At night the wire is hammered by the artillery and we live in perpetual fear of raids” (Harrison 49). This quote depicts trench warfare as weeks or months of silent boredom interrupted by moments of terror. Harrison reveals the psychological damage (shell shock or PTSD) of being at the front line or being kept up by the sounds of endless shots and the fear of rogue bullets. In addition to shell shock, the men were sleep deprived. “There is no time for sleep. We stagger around like drunken, forsaken men” (Harrison 51). Sleep deprivation caused many of the soldiers to have trouble thinking and concentrating, develop depression, poor balance, and even mood changes. In this atmosphere, the majority, if not all were suffering from sleep deprivation. Lastly, many of the soldiers had families they were fighting for. Harrison expresses this with the following quote, “Back home they are praying - for victory - that means we must lie here and rot tremble forever” (Harrison 55). Coming home a hero was a goal, but after being blindsided by the propaganda, many could have felt